Best Desktop Vaporizer Buying Guide 2018

Vaporizer enthusiasts who are looking for a definitive vaping experience often turn to desktop vaporizers. Because of their seemingly larger proportions and their purposefully substantial dimensions, desktop vaporizers produce high-quality vapors from having better and more powerful heating elements and temperature regulating components. They function more efficiently and effectively than their smaller and more portable counterparts. Since tabletop vaporizers are outfitted with more sophisticated and cutting-edge technology, they’re valued to be far more expensive than their compact brethren. They won’t cost you an arm and a leg, though, while the prices of the desktop devices can be pretty steep. While some tabletop units are surprisingly affordable, others require substantial savings.

Deciding on what desktop vaporizer to buy can be a little challenging. The key to getting the best value for your money is knowing what kind of tabletop vaporizer will best suit your needs. To help you out, we’ve listed some of the top vaporizer devices from the best and most trusted brands on the market today. Whether it’s your first time shopping online for a desktop vaporizer, or if you’re just looking to add a new device to your vaping arsenal, this definitive desktop vaporizer buying guide will help you find your perfect home companion.

How To Choose The Right Desktop Vaporizer For You

Finding the right desktop vaporizer may sometimes prove to be difficult, especially when your budget is on the lower end of the spectrum. No one wants to make such an expensive mistake and end up with a vaporizer that will most likely gather dust rather than doing what it’s actually supposed to do. There will be tens or even hundreds of factors you may want to consider when planning your purchase, though it all comes down to your personal preference. We’ve narrowed down these factors to the most crucial ones you might want to ask yourself before you start splashing the cash.

Where will I be vaping?

Why will I be vaping?

How much will I be vaping?

How long will I be vaping?

How often will I be vaping?

How much will my budget be?

More often than not, you’ll have to use your desktop vaporizer at home or in a confined area where a stable power source is available -- like a wall socket or a main power port. Though sometimes you’ll find yourself in situations where you wish you’d have your vaporizer with you to vape with friends during parties or similar occasions. Some tabletop units are compact enough to fit into a small bag, so you can carry them around with you and take them to a friend’s house where you can pass it around and share the fun. You’d also have your own reasons why you’re vaping, either to take certain medications or maybe as a form of casual recreation. The amount of material you’d be consuming will also play a role in your critical decision making; some desktop vaporizers have larger and more generous material chambers than others who sport somewhat decent compartments. Those are more suitable for smaller and less demanding sessions. The amount of time you’d want to spend vaping is also important as well as the frequency of your vaping sessions. For consumers who vape daily, a more durable and hard-wearing device will be an ideal choice. Finally, the amount of money you’re willing to put into vaping will generally influence your decision making.

Overall, desktop vaporizers altogether will do the same thing. They heat up your materials and extract the essential compounds from your herbs, oils, and concentrates through the process of vaporization. While they’re all in the same boat, each tabletop vaporizer offers different experiences which creates a variation in this cut-throat segment.

Top 10 Vaporizers On The Market Today

We at VapeActive cover a wide selection of cannabis vaporizers, from the rudimentary ones to those that are way ahead of their time regarding technology and design. Our desktop vaporizers also come in various price points, from affordable finds to the still reasonable yet somewhat expensive units. Check out our top picks for the top 10 tabletop vaporizers on the market today.

1. Storz & Bickel Volcano Classic Vaporizer

Considered to be the golden standard in desktop vaporization, the Storz & Bickel Volcano Classic Vaporizer is one of the best desktop vaporizers you’d ever find in this platform. It’s so good that even decades after it was released, the Storz & Bickel Volcano Classic Vaporizer still stands as an iconic vaporizer and remains relevant even to vape users from newer generations.

The Storz & Bickel Volcano Classic Vaporizer is a forced air vaporizer that yields some of the best vapors in the business. Users who tested the quality of the vapors they got from the Volcano Classic detailed that it contained 95% cannabinoids -- one of the purest vapor production ever recorded. It sports a classic temperature control which allows you to precisely dial-in your desired temperature level from 266 degrees Fahrenheit to 446 degrees Fahrenheit allowing you to explore the essential benefits of your select concentrates and dry herb strains. It uses a high-grade internal fan to propel hot air which effectively permeates the materials inside its chamber while forcing the vapors outside to fill a balloon bag where the vapor could be drawn from. Instead of being fettered to the desktop vaporizer like what you’d normally do with other devices, the Storz & Bickel Volcano Classic Vaporizer uses balloon vapes so users can carry it around for a more portable vaping experience. They revolutionized the way we used desktop units and introduced a convenient and safe way to consume dry cannabis herbs and concentrates.

The Storz & Bickel Volcano Classic Vaporizer is one of the most sought-after devices by medicating patients who are taking medical marijuana to help them manage or treat their medical conditions. If you haven’t tried using a Volcano, then you haven’t experienced true vaporization.

2. Vapir Rise Vaporizer

Another notable vaporizer rising to the occasion is the Vapir Rise Vaporizer. Remember when we said there were desktop vaporizers you can take to parties to vape with friends for a fun group sesh? Well, the Vapir Rise Vaporizer is one of those devices. Not only does this tabletop vaporizer have enough room for materials to satisfy users other than you, but it also has a multi-user adapter to keep up with your whole crew. It weighs over half a kilo making it light enough for transport in a carrying case or a knapsack; it measures around nine inches, so it can comfortably fit the average bag for convenient carry.

Concerning technology, the Vapir Rise Vaporizer focuses mainly on user customization. It can be used to vaporize both herbs and extracts and offers a wide range of temperature levels that can harness the full potential of your materials. It’s both a balloon vape and a whip vape making it an extremely versatile unit. It’s perfect for more demanding sessions and can accommodate individuals with different material preferences. Unlike the Classic Volcano, the Vapir Rise uses a touch-pad control system which lets you adjust the heat level to the most minute detail giving you and your friends unparalleled personalization for a unique and tailor-fit session.

Apart from its seemingly group-oriented design and engineering, the Vapir Rise Vaporizer is also known for its fast heating capabilities. It only requires, at the very least, 60 seconds of prep time before you and your friends can start vaping. The whole kit comes packed with a full assortment of attachments and accessories to get you started on the fly.

3. Arizer Extreme Q Vaporizer

The Arizer Extreme Q Vaporizer is designed to be a household staple with features you’d normally find in your home appliances; one could easily take the Arizer Extreme Q for a domestic aromatherapy piece.

The engineers at Arizer leaned towards convenience when they made the Arizer Extreme Q. They outfitted it with remote control functionalities as well as a crisp LCD screen, making it look more like a space age-apparatus than an actual dry herb vaporizer. These devices are best for medicating professionals who need a desktop marijuana vaporizer who can multitask as they do. You’d simply have to turn on the vaporizer and remotely operate it from a distance -- probably while you’re working on your laptop or when you’re busy browsing through some letters or when you’re reading the Sunday paper. Once it’s done preparing your choice herbs, you can start vaping either from a balloon or a whip. Furthermore, the Arizer Extreme Q lets you experiment and find your own sweet spot for your select materials. It combines temperature selection and fan speed for that unique vapor output.

In terms of purity and vapor quality, the Arizer Extreme Q’s all-glass chamber ensures faithful preservation of your herbs’ flavor profile as well as its sweet-smelling scents. The potency of the material is also enhanced making the Extreme Q from Arizer a vaporizer with an excellent price to performance ratio. You have to give it to the Arizer; they know their stuff, and they make them really well.

4. Storz & Bickel Plenty Vaporizer

The second Storz & Bickel product in this list, the Plenty Vaporizer is more of a hybrid between a portable vaporizer and a tabletop vaporizer. It requires to be kept plugged into your wall socket, but you can pretty much use it as a portable vape. You don’t exactly have to set it atop your table when you’re using it, but the look and feel of the Storz & Bickel Plenty Vaporizer is more of a power drill plugged into a wall outlet instead of a vaporizer on a desk. Its yields are comparable to its larger predecessor, the Volcano, although it comes in a smaller, more portable body. The only drawback to the Plenty is its lack of draw options, while its bigger brother allows users to draw from either a balloon or a whip. However, the Plenty uses a cooling coil connected to a mouthpiece which makes up for its lack of versatility.

The Plenty Vaporizer uses all mechanical controls, which in the opinion of vape veterans makes it more reliable and durable than other vaporizers on this list. Through time, its mechanical components, according to most of its users, will prove to be better in enduring daily use and vaping activity than digitally operated devices.

The Storz & Bickel Plenty Vaporizer also uses convection-like heating, similar to the Volcano, which produces top-notch vapors. For its size, it yields large clouds that are enough to knock you off your socks.

5. Herbalizer

Dubbed to be the future of vaping, the Herbalizer is a multi-functional tabletop vaporizer that can work with herbs, concentrates, flowers, buds, and oils. This vaporizer is so into the future that it’s outfitted with the most advanced features separating it from the rest of the competition.

The Herbalizer is an intelligent vaping machine capable of automatically and instantly regulating the temperature, even during a session. A specialized software tracks the frequency of your usage and prevents a sudden increase in temperature which eliminates overheating. Apart from its smart temperature calibration, the Herbalizer also has an integrated tilt sensor to monitor the overall equilibrium of the unit. Should the Herbalizer fall over and break its balance, the built-in sensor automatically shuts down the Herbalizer, preventing any damages both to the desktop unit’s main circuit and to you, the user. Should you doze off in the middle of your sesh, the Herbalizer will automatically go into sleep mode and shut off. These forward-thinking features make the Herbalizer more of a luxury than an actual necessity. It's far from the rudimentary desktop vaporizers and is definitely a must-have for techies that downright love to get lifted.

The Herbalizer is a balloon vape, or what you’d call a forced air vaporizer, with the ability to use both a balloon bag and a whip as well as function as a hands-free unit for a more convenient experience. All its components are medical-grade making it a safe option for various users. The Herbalizer is a desktop vaporizer for those who wouldn’t sacrifice quality over affordability.

6. 7th Floor Silver Surfer

A staple in the desktop platform, the Silver Surfer desktop vaporizer is a dry herb vaporizer that can make even vape beginners feel like a pro. The simple and straightforward design of the Silver Surfer allows anyone to enjoy and experience the benefits of their select cannabis strains in seconds. Using the 7th Floor Silver Surfer takes very little to no learning curve at all.

This tabletop vaporizer utilizes the force of gravity through an angled chamber to effectively and efficiently vaporize your favorite herbs with little or less frequent stirring. Apart from their inventive engineering, the Silver Surfer is known for its massive collection of glass pieces. Not only are their glass pieces customizable, but they’re also of great quality as they’re hand-blown with careful attention to detail. Superb craftsmanship is what makes Silver Surfer the epitome of whip style perfection. They use high-quality ground glass knobs and heater covers to ensure that you get an air-tight, hands-free experience. The heating element of each Silver Surfer vaporizer is also separated and isolated from its other components to ensure that no toxic by-product is released as the Silver Surfer heats up your dry herbs. Arguably the best in its class, the Silver Surfer from 7th Floor Vaporizers speaks convenience for both usage and upkeep. Since it uses medical-grade glass components, they require a little soaking in a mixture of warm water and isopropyl alcohol. It can also be cleaned using several commercial cleaning agents intended for cleaning vape components.

7. Dr. Dabber Switch

In the area of innovation and transformation, the Dr. Dabber Switch Vaporizer takes first place by bringing induction heating technology to the desktop vaporizer platform. Traditional heating methods on tabletop devices include conduction and convection heating. Instead of heating the materials from the outside in, as most conventional heating methods do, the Dr. Dabber Switch vaporizes the materials from the inside out.

This results in better vaporization for whatever material you put inside the Switch. The Dr. Dabber Switch can vaporize a wide variety of materials from loose-leaf strains as well as buds and flowers to extracts like thick and waxy concentrates as well as runny oil extracts. Instead of placing the materials in direct contact with the heating element or by blowing hot air towards the material, the Dr. Dabber Switch uses induction heating cups that are made from high-quality ceramic components which preserve the flavor notes of the materials for extremely satisfying and tasty draws. While the Dr. Dabber Switch is categorized as a desktop vaporizer, it still utilizes a rechargeable battery providing you with sessions packed with new perspectives. Through its non-volatile, non-explosive battery pack, you can use the Switch as you would a portable vaporizer and experience unparalleled freedom while enjoying the power and the performance of a desktop rig. The battery yields over 150 draws per charge which ensures that you and your friends will never fall short of getting lifted.

It’s hailed as the world’s first and only induction powered e-rig and beats every vaporizer in its class by a mile.

8. 7th Floor Da Buddha Vaporizer

We just couldn’t help but add another 7th Floor vape on our list. They make good vaporizers, and the Da Buddha is a testament to their handiwork.

Like its brethren, the Da Buddha uses similar glass pieces that are hand-blown to perfection. The ground glass components of this tabletop vaporizer ensure the best results for vaporizing dry herbs and other loose-leaf materials. Your cannabis will never burn inside the convection style vaporizer as it leverages the power of hot air to effectively saturate the materials which make for an even vaporization. Like most convection vaporizers, the 7th Floor Da Buddha Vaporizer will work better with loosely packed ground materials to allow the air to move freely in between the herbs releasing all the good stuff from your favorite strains. This eliminates combustion and enables the Da Buddha to generate clean vapors that carry little to no irritants and keeps the nasty impurities that could harm your lungs. The all-glass intake ensures consistent taste and better flavor retention. It also perpetuates the potency of your choice materials which makes the Da Buddha a strong contender in the battle for the best desktop vaporizer.

Like its silver surfing brother, the Da Buddha’s components can easily be cleaned for convenient maintenance and upkeep.

Another feature unique to Da Buddha is its durable construction. The body of this tabletop device is made of high-quality aluminum with a fine polish and is finished with anodized coating. This design gives the Da Buddha a lighter weight and a more hard-wearing exterior to protect the components found inside the vaporizer. It also features a glass knob giving users the true mechanical experience.

9. Vaporfection ViVape Vaporizer

If Tony Stark ever used a desktop vaporizer, we’re sure it would look like the ViVape Vaporizer from Vaporfection. We know that there’s a lot of tabletop vaporizers claiming to be packed with forward-looking weed tech, but the ViVape simply nailed it. They introduced a user-friendly touchscreen temperature control system they call “vapor sense.” We’ve seen digital controls on other stationary units, but the ViVape takes it to a whole new level.

The vapor sense interface allows you to fine-tune the temperature levels according to your delicate taste. It’s for the cannabis savants with subtle palates that can only be satisfied by vapors from custom set temperatures which allows the extraction of some of the most sensitive cannabinoids from some of the rarest strains. The touchscreen controls are surprisingly crisp giving an almost tactile feel to the visible options within the control panel. Furthermore, the Vaporfection ViVape Vaporizer features an automatic shutdown functionality which lets the ViVape take a nap after the specified time has elapsed, giving you a “set it and forget it” experience. This top-shelf unit is the first to use automatic temperature sensors and cutting-edge microprocessors to regulate temperature.

The Vaporfection ViVape uses only components of the highest quality to ensure the device’s overall exceptional quality. Unlike the average vaporizer, the ViVape desktop vaporizer uses laboratory-grade glass components to ensure that the constituents that contain and surround the materials will not chemically react to high levels of temperature. Leading the trend on modern vaporizers, the ViVape ensures that the toxicity level of the vapors is set to zero.

10. 7th Floor Life Saber

Not only does this vaporizer make you legitimately look like a Jedi, but it also lets you vaporize your favorite blends with the element of water filtration. 7th Floor vapes are known for their wide array of vaporizer accessories as well as their artisan-made glass components. The 7th Floor Life Saber can be equipped with a portable bubbler or even in conjunction with a separate water pipe. This uniquely shaped device lets you enjoy moisture conditioned hits unlike any vaporizer in this list.

The 7th Floor Life Saber uses a cylindrical design making it fairly easy to handle. The parallel sides and the circular cross-section of the 7th Floor Life Saber are made out of anodized aluminum giving it remarkable strength and lighter weight even when compared to most vaporizers in its class. The gun barrel housing facilitates convection heating that is ideal for loose-leaf materials. Its heavy-duty body ensures that you can enjoy the Life Saber for years to come.

The 7th Floor Life Saber also boasts a ceramic encased heating element. They brilliantly reduced and even prevented oxidation by sealing the heating element with ceramic from the outside. Because of the ceramic coating, the heating element of the Life Saber can run longer than any other heating element on the market without having to sacrifice the integrity of the heating element or that of the components around it. The Life Saber was made for more demanding and more taxing vape sessions making it an ideal piece of equipment for longer group sesh. If you’re looking for a vaporizer you can take to hell and back, then look no further.

Types of Tabletop Vaporizers

While desktop vaporizers in general fall into the same category, each device presents a different experience through the various types they allow how one can administer vapor and manage temperature. Some tabletop devices go beyond the limitations and restrictions of having been placed atop a table and are constructed to cater to different types of attachments to aid inhalation. The diversity of how desktop vaporizers operate and produce their vaporous output hugely impact your experience and creates a myriad of preferable options to heat and consume your materials as well as to regulate and control how the materials are heated. Here are the most common types of vaporizers.

Balloon Vaporizers or Forced Air Vaporizers

As their category implies, these vaporizers use forced air as a conduit of heat to vaporize your materials. Through the use of forced air, these types of vaporizers can facilitate a non-contact means of heating which makes for more stable vaporization. Forced air vaporization is less prone to combustion, though the actual process of heating may take time as convection methods keep the heating element away from the material. While this setup will further the prevention and elimination of impurities and irritants caused by combusted materials, this increases the amount of time it needs for the materials to vaporize.

Even when it does not produce instantaneous vapors, many still prefer forced air heating since it can retain most of the active ingredients found on your favorite blends. It’s also an effective way to increase the flavor of your vapors which makes for a truly satisfying experience.

Another advantage to using forced air vapes is their ability to fill up a balloon bag effectively. Balloon attachments are perfect for people who prefer cooler vapors to help them experience mild and subtle euphoria. Inhaling from a balloon bag makes for a suitable delivery method if you’re looking to get desktop quality vapors yet you don’t want to be tied up to your table while vaping. Since most desktop vaporizers require to be plugged into a power outlet, having a balloon bag opens up more opportunities, especially for people who like to walk around the house or wish to lie down on their couches.

You’ll find that some of the top-tier vaporizers in the industry are using forced air technology. They represent a new breed of desktop vaporizers that offer precise temperature settings that give consumers a vast option when it comes to control and customization.

Whip-Style Vaporizers

Whip-style vapes are known for their long tubes that resemble the traditional “hookah.” Whip vapes are commonly seen as classic desktop units since they’re one of the early forms of vaporizer inhalation methods. Whip style vapes are fun to use, and it’s the common piece for group sessions as they can easily pass on the whip to the next user while they all sit around the desktop vaporizer. The harder you draw, the more vapors you get since most whip-style vapes do not have fans to blow the vapor away from the heating element. This creates a harsher experience as the vapors you draw tend to be hotter since they come directly from the heating element. While this can sometimes be uncomfortable, most veteran consumers prefer to use whip-style vaporizers. These types of vaporizers have instantaneous to almost on-demand heating and can go up to extremely high-temperature levels which can help intensify the effects of your materials. Adept users who are familiar with managing temperatures using glass knobs or other mechanical controls will have no difficulty with finding the sweet spot when vaping with whip-style vapes.

These types of desktop vaporizers will also be easier to operate since they will most likely have fewer controls and they will be less technical as some older units lack LCDs, temperature regulation, and other advanced features you can see on other desktop units. But don’t let its rudimentary design fool you. These vaporizers are known to be hard wearing and tough since their tactile controls are built with durable materials which make whip-style vapes a sound investment for both beginners and advanced users.

Digital Desktop Vaporizers & Analog Desktop Vaporizers

In vaporization, temperature control is the key to achieving the euphoric upshots of your blends and is also an excellent avenue to make sure you get the most out of your materials. When vaporizing cannabis, it is important to find the right temperature level for several reasons. First, knowing the limit of how hot your heating element can get allows you to eliminate combustion. Your loose-leaf marijuana will start burning at around 465 - 470 degrees Fahrenheit. Exceeding this level will burn the weed, and the gaseous by-product will begin to carry reactive components that will irritate your throat and lungs. You’ll notice this as the vapors will start to taste different. Conversely, staying around 315 degrees Fahrenheit will promote the extraction of CBD, the psychoactive compound of cannabis, and likewise, at 350 degrees Fahrenheit CBD will be extracted.

With that said, keeping track of your temperature level unlocks the full potential of your cannabis materials. A digital desktop vaporizer will most of the time feature an LCD which shows the current temperature level of the heating element. Most digital desktop units offer precise temperature adjustment allowing users to change the temperature setting down to the smallest detail. You can adjust it in small increments giving you pinpoint accuracy when altering the heat profile. Digital desktop vapes are also easy to use since most of these vaporizers will have user-friendly buttons where you can conveniently change the settings.

On the other side of the fence, you have the analog desktop vaporizers. Analog desktop vaporizers use rotating knobs that let you dial in your desired temperature setting. Although they offer excellent and reliable heating, knowing what level you’re vaping on can sometimes be a guesswork, especially for desktop vaporizers that do not have temperature indicators printed on the face of the dial surrounding the knobs. Although these types of vaporizers may lack digital displays, they certainly make up for it with their powerful and fast heating elements.

Thanks For Reading Our Desktop Vape Guide

One of the best ways to experience the benefits of vaporization is by using a desktop vaporizer. It provides users and consumers with a definitive concept of what accurate vaporization is. Sacrificing mobility and portability is a small price to pay for the quality of vapors you’d get from desktop devices; that’s why many portable devices aim to match desktops in terms of vapor quality, though they all seem to fall short due to their inadequate capacity.

The majority of desktop units today keep the market alive and provide consumers with various options to choose from. Knowing and identifying your personal preference will help you find the best vaporizer and will keep you lifted and elevated for years to come. Today’s industry offers a wide selection of devices that create new niches in desktop vaping, making desktop vaporizers more popular than ever. Desktop vaporizers, in general, make better investments. They may at first be expensive, but they’ll be the best ones you’ll ever spend on a vaporizer.

Join the ever-growing number of individuals who benefit from the advantages of using desktop vaporizers and make sure you’re not missing out on all the good stuff.